Monday, August 16, 2010

HTML and gear delays

It's been a few weeks since I've updated this blog. That was not my plan, but busy work schedules and a week of vacation without much Internet access decided it for me.

When I've had a few minutes, I've still been tinkering with the steps to develop the iPad and iPhone applications from the book I had mentioned previously. It's been slow going so far and has basically still involved writing examples of code that will change pictures on the device's screen with the push of buttons created.

I've also started looking more into HTML resources with a few books I took out from the local library. I taught myself really basic HTML in high school and a little earlier in the days when Angelfire web-pages were some of the easiest, free ways to make something on the web. The sites I made back then were extremely basic - a simple frame setup with links, photos and text in a non-creative design.



In college, I took a few web courses, one of them in basic web design where I rehashed some of the same basic HTML training and delved very briefly into some JavaScript which I have little memory of three years later.

The book I took out most recently, the name of which escapes me since it's in my apartment rather than on my desk at work, is a fairly large volume designed to help people teach themselves HTML and CSS. I'm hoping that by putting in a few hours a week going over it, I'll be able to do more with TroyRecord.com and better understand the code needed for app development.

Gear Delays

On the Friday before I left for vacation, Aug. 6, the buzz on my Twitter and Facebook feeds showed that, one by one, members of the ideaLab were getting packages with their netbooks and iPads from our corporate parent JRC.

I waited to hear word from our front desk that something had arrived for me, but none came. Last week I checked in with our corporate web staff about it and learned that the package had been lost by FedEx and our people were looking into what went wrong.

It turns out that the package went to the wrong place, back to the retailer, because of an old shipping label on the box. I guess the iPad was taken as a return when the retailer received it. The new ETA is about two weeks for that, so it will still be a while until I try out the many apps I have planned, but the netbook should be on its way shortly.

Until then, I'll be using some of my ideaLab work time to read up on the HTML and explore other digital strategies that we can try to make The Record and other JRC properties even better for our readers.

We've got very exciting interactive ideas kicking around so far, so stay tuned!

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Steve Shoe said...

There's a pleasurable irony in the old school/new school aspect of taking out library books to help carve our way into the digital future. I love it, especially as it's further evidence of the role libraries fill in our society.

Bummer about the iPad. My grandmother used to tell me "Half the fun is in the waiting," which is true enough. But there's not fun in teases like that.

August 17, 2010 at 8:15 AM 
Anonymous tcaprood said...

Absolutely. I've had a bunch of reference/guide books as PDF's on my laptop in the past, but when it comes to books for doing stuff on the computer, I've find that the physical book works better. Of course, with a Kindle or iPad, that wouldn't be the case.

But sure, the library still has value, even if only to save me the $40 the book would have cost while I try it out.

August 17, 2010 at 8:43 AM 

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